So if the lovely Tom doesn’t win the apprentice, we think he’s pretty damn cool and definitely Lord Sugars loss.

Everyone who’s had a baby and given breastfeeding a go has a breastfeeding story – well this is mine.

I come from a pretty liberal family so grew up with quite an open attitude towards my body. However, the changes it went through when I was pregnant sort of freaked me out. I struggled to look at myself in the mirror, or rather my growing belly, and where my breasts aren’t exactly small, I was quite embarrassed at how large they grew over 9 months. I loved the feel of my baby inside me, moving around, I just felt a little weird about my body becoming something else, having a different, very visible, purpose.  Even though I assumed I would always breast feed my babies (I remember as a young child trying to breast feed my dolls after my mother had my little brother), I couldn’t think about the reality of it. My boobs were my boobs, and I couldn’t imagine them in the mouth of a little baby. Thankfully, the beauty of pregnancy hormones is they sort of stop you from thinking about the reality of childbirth and after, too much, so managed to bury my head on the whole breast feeding thing.

And then,  after a 48 hour labour and an emergency C-section, out came my beautiful, if rather large, little girl, and it was the most natural thing to do to place her on my breast. I didn’t even think about it, I just did it, with my whole family standing round. I think about it now and actually, if I hadn’t been rather high on whatever it is they give you for the surgery, I may have felt a little awkward in front of my dad and brother particularly – just that first time, when I didn’t really know what I was doing.

Anyway, with a big baby comes a very hungry baby, and my little one had a huge appetite and a very strong suck. Within 24 hours my nipples were agony. Various midwives had checked my technique and her latch and all was good, but my god it hurt. By the time I was home every time she latched on my toes curled in on themselves and tears came to my eyes. Everyone said “when your milk comes in properly it will be better” – well by the time my milk came in my nipples where bleeding and I was crying every time I fed. Everyone I spoke to, midwives, helplines, or read, said  – if it hurts they’re not latched on properly. But the latch was fine. Then a wonderful midwife came by, about a week in, told me to get an expressing machine and give my boobs a 24 hour rest, gave me some amazing cream (Lansinoh nipple cream) and said it was all to do with my babies suck, it was so strong she was taking my nipple to the rough part of her pallet right at the back causing terrible chaffing.  Expressing did help (although still painful but much less than the actual breast feeding) and with the words of my ante-natal teacher in my head (”give it two weeks and you’ll see, it will be fine”), I broke through to day 15 and there was no pain, no chaffing, no blood, just sheer joy every-time I settled down for a feed with my gorgeous girl. And I never looked back. She was a very greedy baby so I got her into a 3 hour routine pretty quickly, and at around 4 months I did give her a bottle of formula in the evenings to help the sleep problems but I didn’t feel guilty about it or anything – why would I?

Guilt; that’s such an awful word and should be banned from the heads of any mother. I was lucky in the sense I had plenty of really rich, good milk to give, some mothers don’t have that and they shouldn’t be made to feel guilty because they give up and move to bottle feeding. There’s nothing wrong with bottle feeding if it’s what works for you and your life and family then fine. I can understand why the thought of breast feeding might make people feel weird. I can understand the embarrassment over breast feeding in public – some people react in such a prudish, anal way to breast feeding mothers and we should ignore them but it’s hard to, especially if you’re not very comfortable exposing yourself. I just wish more women who can, give it a try. Not write  it off before the baby is even born, just try it once or twice and then make their decision. And for those who are struggling with pain, try the expressing, nipple cream routine and get those 2 weeks out of the way. It gets so much better and once established it so easy, and so satisfying. I miss the breast feeding days when they finish. I couldn’t wait to breast feed my second child and had no problems at all the second time around. And if I have a third I will look forward to those peaceful, blissful moments, that only women who have breastfed will understand.

See our 12 reasons to breastfeed here – and how to breastfeed here

This is a really worrying figure, and it seems rather surprising and shocking for medical professionals who had thought that iodine levels in the UK population were adequate. In fact, 70% of teenage school girls are showing a mild deficiency.

Since the 1940s milk has been the primary source for iodine and due to farming methods giving milk a high iodine content, there’s never been a concern over iodine deficiency. However, the consumption of milk has been in decline since the 1980s, particularly in older age brackets, being viewed as something that just babies and young children drink.

The most vulnerable groups, pregnant and lactating women, are to be given supplements, but ideally, teenage girls particularly need to be encouraged to drink more milk and eat more dairy products. Milk needs to be made more appealing to older children if we’re going to prevent a 3rd of a generation of babies being faced with brain development problems.

Of course it’s not good for children to stuff themselves with chocolate and sweets during Easter or at anytime, but there’s definitely a happy medium, teaching them that sweet goodies are treats and not the norm, but definitely something to enjoy once in a while.

But of course Easter isn’t just about chocolate, although the retailers would have us believe otherwise. Easter is actually a great excuse to do and make all sorts of things. And not forgetting that Easter is actually a religious festival which might be worth explaining to children even if you’re not religious or of another faith.

Easter activities

• Get outside – Easter marks the beginning of new life and of spring. It’s a perfect time to get out into the country side and enjoy the flowers and wildlife. There are farms everywhere now open to the public and children love to watch young lambs being fed or playing with their brothers and sisters. And if you live in the city there are plenty of city farms and parks to enjoy in the spring sunshine.
• Get creative – Easter is a great excuse for getting out the coloured card and paint and start creating large cardboard flowers with a straw stalk; papier mache Easter egg boxes to fill with goodies; painted/decorated hanging eggs; Easter cards; Easter table decorations; cotton wool chicks and bunnies; Easter baskets for filling with chocolate AND healthy snacks like fruit bars, mini boxes of raisins/dried fruit, cereal bars/flap jacks or even little toys.
• Get cooking – Easter isn’t just about the chocolate eggs (which you can of course make yourself but whats the point?). There are all kinds of other things to bake with your little one. Easter nests containing chocolate eggs or fluffy chicks. Easter biscuits (see Kirstie Allsop explaining how to make some here). Simnel cake. Whole grain Easter bunnies (see Zoe Ball make these here). And if you’re feeling really adventurous, don’t forget the hot cross buns. You can also dye the breakfast boiled eggs by dropping your egg into the boiling water containing a few drops of food colouring.
• Get active – Did you ever chase a hard boiled egg down a hill as a child? No? Well don’t let your children miss out on this really fun Easter Monday tradition of egg rolling. Take your Easter egg hunt into a large open space so the kids have to run around a lot to find the goodies, and maybe make it a race against the clock. Or if you’re lucky enough to have a big house hide the treats over as much of it as possible. And you can do other egg related outdoor games, like the good old egg and spoon race.

Who knew there was quite so much to Easter??

My passions are kids, cooking, nutrition and what makes people tick (oh dear, that sounds like I’m looking for a date…). I’d love to be a midwife but I’d have to train as a nurse first and I’m way too squeamish to do that (weirdly I can deal with anything to do with giving birth, but take the baby aspect out of the equation and I’m more likely going to end up with my head between my knees).  And what about a health visitor? Supporting new mums would be a great job for me… oh, you have to have been a midwife first. Seems strange but true. Could be a chef, but there seems to be a lot of budding “mum” chefs out there at the moment and just because my fella, friends and family like my food, doesn’t mean the general public will. Plus a hot and stressful restaurant kitchen isn’t my nice friendly home kitchen so not sure I could take that kind of pressure. So nutrition seemed like an obvious option given this website and the knowledge I’ve already built up and I really want to get behind cutting childhood obesity and being a nutritionist or dietitian would help me get closer to the problem.

Or will it? I started thinking about what makes people eat lots of junk food, and feed their kids junk food, and let their weight spiral out of control despite endless health warnings, guidance, advice on healthy eating etc. I don’t think it’s just ignorance and lack of education. Yes you can ignore the advice, not read the information out there, but why do that? Even if you don’t love yourself, you love your child right? You want them to be happy and healthy no? Plus I see well educated mums every day giving their children bags of crisps and endless chocolate snacks, and then say “Oh they’re just not interested in eating meals” or “they’re ill again” or “they’re just too tired to come out”. And they just can’t or won’t make that link. Laziness? Stubborn? (No ones going to tell me how to treat my kids!) Or just incredibly blinkered?

Ultimately children learn from their parents, and if parents have unhealthy eating habits, whether it’s over feeding or obsessively trying to lose weight and underfeeding, the children will pick up on that. And a skinny little child with a skinny mum almost upsets me as much as an overweight child with and overweight mum.

Of course nutrition plays a huge role in tackling the obesity problems, and actually the rising anorexia problem in teenagers, but it’s the psychology behind it all that needs help and understanding, and is by far the most fascinating part. So after A LOT of umming and erring, I’ve enrolled to do a psychology degree, with the aim of eventually being a child and family psychologist with a speciality in nutrition and health. And also post natal depression since it’s still so poorly dealt with.

Having said all that, after an introduction to criminal psychology, I might decide to become the next Cracker, or probably more like Miss Marple, since it will take me that long to become fully qualified.

The guide was discussed in an article on the BBC website and it implied that eating out with young kids can be a more stressful than enjoyable experience, whether it’s trying not to annoy fellow diners who might be childless, or trying to keep your children quiet. I can see what the article was getting at, and there are definitely places I wouldn’t take my kids, but I can’t say that I’ve ever felt uncomfortable or stressed out in any “eatery” I’ve taken my children to, and we don’t just stick with the “safe” child friendly options either.We enjoy going out for meals and the only thing I’ve worried about is if there will be appropriate food on the menu.

Generally if a pub or restaurant has a complicated menu (ie snail porridge…) and no high chairs, we don’t go. Mainly because it will be too difficult trying to find something on the menu for the kids to eat. The thought that we might disturb childless groups rarely enters our head. Not because we’re selfish, just because we’ve taught our kids to sit at tables and not disturb others. Of course they want to get up and walk around, but generally this is supervised by one of us and if there is an inkling of loud, boisterous behaviour we take them outside. And I always take some [quiet] entertainment for them. I hate to sound clichéd but my mother was bought up partly in France and we as a family have quite a “European” attitude to children, so causing chaos in an adult environment just isn’t accepted. I don’t want my kids to disturb or annoy other people, whether their childless or not. I get a sense of pride when people tell me they’re well behaved etc. And I like to think I can take them anywhere. Of course they have “off” days when they just don’t want to listen or behave, and on those days I’ll definitely go for the “safe” options.

As well as the high chair and menu “test”, it’s also good to judge the reaction of the staff when you enter an eatery with your children, if they look disdainful and start looking for a table in a dark corner to hide you in, then you’re probably not going to have a very enjoyable meal. And I do get a little annoyed that all children get tarred with the same brush. Not all children are rowdy and shout and scream, and are allowed to do this.

I do see a point to a guide to eating out with kids – especially as I think there are some parents who are too scared to take their kids out in case they misbehave, and it’s so important to have some kind of social life, with and without the children. And it’s great for kids to sample different environments and cuisines. But I do think an awful lot of it, as with most parenting, comes down to common sense. Ask restaurants when you book if kids are welcome, and give them a chance to put you away from couples dining out. Look for the “child friendly” signs. But also teach your children about the way to behave in certain places. It really isn’t hard, and it doesn’t mean you’re “stifling” creativity and development. Kids need guidance just like parents do. In fact, maybe someone should do an illustrated story book about how to eat out, as a toddler, with your parents!? Well behaved children are welcome anywhere.

Click here to read the article and see the top 11 “safe” places to eat with  your kids.

In November last year I was walking over a local high bridge with my kids, and a man chose, at that moment, to jump off the bridge, to his death. It was the most shocking thing I’ve ever seen and the image of him launching himself off will stay with me forever. The reality of death is around us every day and most of us have witnessed an accident where someone may have died, and have certainly had someone close to us die of illness, old age or other. But seeing someone choose to die, to take their own life, say goodbye to the world, is really hard to understand. I’ve suffered from depression, and had particularly dark times after my second child was born so know the feelings of despair, but to actually end it all? It’s incomprehensible. Or course I had no idea what had happened in his life, what kind of mental problems he may have had. This was a stranger who, if I hadn’t stopped to open my daughters umbrella and put the rain cover on the buggy, I wouldn’t have ever seen and never heard of. Just another sad suicide off Suicide Bridge.

The policewoman who took my statement was great. She was first on the scene at the bottom of the bridge and I’m very glad I didn’t see that. Anyway I asked her what she knew about him and she said that she would give me details but actually maybe I shouldn’t know too much, making it easier to remain distant from it. She told me he was 33, had a dad who lived locally, and suffered from schizophrenia. She was right, that was all I needed to know. I gave my statement and avoided the bridge as best I could.

In January, however, I received a summons to appear before the coroner at his inquest, as I was the only witness to him jumping (although several people saw him land, onto a busy road). I felt sick, suddenly he was to become a real person, with a family, a past, a tragic life. I had actually seen his name in an article about the recent spate of suicides off the bridge, and knew he had left behind a son and ex-wife.

The inquest was the beginning of this week and although it was brief and my part even briefer, I now have another image to add to that of him jumping – his mother breaking down in tears as I described how he died. His past was spattered with drug use, mental health problems, assault charges, and failed visitation rights hearings for his son – it was one of these failed hearings that pushed him, literally, over the edge. But looking at his parents, listening to his mother talk, I knew that once she had a little boy, who she had hopes and dreams for, who she clothed and fed and loved and brought up to the best of her ability. She couldn’t have done anything to stop him from becoming mentally ill, from taking drugs, from eventually taking his own life. That was out of her control and that is what shook me to the core.

Huge fears are part of being a mother, but we try and lock them away at the far backs of our minds. Serious illness, accidents, pain and heartache. We want so much to protect our children from all the bad things in the world. We can’t wrap them up in cotton wool, keep them locked away from the world. We CAN only do our best and hope and pray that there’s a bit of luck on their side, and with as much guidance as we can give, let them live their lives. My heart aches for all those mothers (and fathers) who have lost their children in whatever tragic circumstances. And I do wonder about the thoughts that have gone through the mother of the suicide man. Does she blame herself? I hope not. Because sometimes, being a good mum just isn’t enough.

At the ages of 3, 4, 7 and 8.5, the eating habits of 3966 children were recorded. It was found that those who had a diet of processed food, high in fat and sugar when they were 3, had a slightly lower IQ at the age of 8 than those who had healthier diets (high in veg and fruit) when they were 3. This was even after social class and parents level of education were taken into consideration. The research suggests that even at an early age, eating habits can have a long term impact, and not just on physical health and weight.

It’s common sense really – we know some nutrients are better for brain development, most of which are present in fruit, veg, grains and fish, and if a child rarely eats this type of food, when they’re at their most rapid growth, then it’s very possible they won’t reach their potential.

It makes me really sad that parents choose to ignore all the advice and evidence that’s out there about healthy eating, and still feed their children crap. And what’s depressing is that scientists, The British Dietetic Association, the government, can spend more and more money on this kind of research and it probably won’t change anything. The parents who care enough about their childrens health and future to make an effort to feed them well, don’t need this kind of research. So is there any point? Or course there needs to be more education about it but as the old saying goes “you can drag and bull to water but you can’t make it drink”. Or something like that.

Click here to read the full article

I quite liked the sound of the other research that came out recently – about chocolate containing a higher concentration of antioxidants than many fruit! Chocolate healthier than fruit? Fab – well, as long as  you eat that really bitter stuff with 90% cocoa solid content that is.

We are all aware that there’s a rising obesity problem in this country (and most of the western world for that matter) not only in adults but in children as well. But there’s also been a shocking rise in babies under one found to be over-weight and even obese. The article says that doctors would expect about 2% of babies under one to be above the 98th percentile on the WHO weight charts, but they’re actually finding nearly 6.1% of babies are in this category. Dr Charlotte Wright of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says that too many British babies are overweight before the age of one. She goes on to say that not only is this problem caused by babies being fed too much formula milk to help them sleep through the night, but also too many babies are being weaned onto adult food, high in fat, salt and sugar. And this isn’t just a problem of lower income social groups, it’s widespread with middle-class families feeding fromage frais to their babies in the middle of the night. Why??

Apparently Health Visitors training has been adapted to deal with this problem, whereby previously they focused on  babies who were struggling to gain weight, they’re new focus is on babies who are gaining too much weight, too quickly. Health Visitors say that some parents are feeding their babies left over Chinese takeaways and pureed chips.

With so much publicity everywhere about the dangers of unhealthy eating, and the problems obese children face throughout their lives, it’s a wonder that parents are still disregarding advice and feeding their babies all the wrong things. And it’s not just about lack of education or money, with the middle classes being just as guilty. I wonder if new methods of weaning,  such as Baby Led Weaning, could be contributing to this? Many parents I’ve spoken to who weaned their babies using BLW said they usually fed them off their own plates. But that’s adult food, higher in fat, salt and sugar than babies should probably be having.

Both my babies were really good eaters – I struggled to keep their weight down – but it never occured to me to feed them anything but good, healthy food in the right quantities for their age. And certainly no fromage frais in the middle of the night, no matter how badly they were sleeping.

The article concludes that many parents are also weaning far too early, before 17 weeks (4 months) and if it’s onto pureed chips the poor little things don’t have much of a chance do they?

There are so many reports about parenting at the moment, it’s hard not to feel like we’re constantly in the spotlight, being judged. To be honest I don’t really care what people think of me as a parent. Yes I probably let my children watch too much telly, and of course I do have times when I can’t cope and lose my rag and raise my voice a bit (alot). But I know that ultimately I do the best I can, and I’m trying to give them the best, healthiest start in life. I’m trying to teach them right from wrong but at the same time trying to let them express themselves. I’m by no means perfect and I don’t pretend to be, or try to be.

Weaning and feeding your babies the wrong kind of food and letting them become overweight at such an early age (or any age for that matter) is not good parenting in any way. It’s not a lack of love, perhaps it’s too much love? Perhaps it’s just a lack of time? A lack of energy? A lack of education? Just sheer laziness? But ultimately it has to stop or we’re heading into a health crisis. But how does it stop, I really don’t know. And that’s why I feel hopeless. There are many parents who just don’t want to listen and see advice as being lectured to, or told how to be parents.

With all the depressing stories in the press that we can’t do anything about, this should be one we can do something about. So why is it so difficult to get the healthy eating message across? I really, really don’t understand. At the end of the day the people who read sites like mine, do care about what their babies are eating and probably aren’t the type to feed them Chinese takeaway of pureed chips. Am at a bit of a loss on this one. If Jamie Oliver can’t make people listen, how can I?

Yet again a team of researchers have discovered another fine point about breastfeeding/weaning which slightly contradicts the current guidelines issued by WHO (World Helath Organisation). Most of us know that current guidelines state that we should breast feed our babies exclusively for 6 months before introducing solids, unless your baby is showing signs of needing more than just milk, in which case between 4 and 6 months is OK. The recent report suggests that breast fed babies could become deficient in iron if they only have breast milk up to 6 months. It’s strange that after 10 years of the current advice some research suddenly reveals that breast fed babies could be iron deficient. So in 10 years has there been an increase in anaemic 4-6 month old babies? I haven’t found any reports suggesting this. Hmmmm. The research also suggests that breast fed babies will more likely develop allergies if solid food isn’t introduced before 6 months – but this is in direct contrast to one of the reasons for waiting until 6 months, to reduce the risk of developing allergies. Now I’ve never really been so sure about the whole solids before 6 months increasing risks of allergies bit. Our parents were weaning us at 3 months and there are without a doubt more cases of food allergies in our childrens generation than in ours. So maybe this new report has a point about the whole allergy thing…But who knows? It’s all a little confusing, especially for first time weaners.

But really, what everyone is missing here, with the current advice/guidance and the new research, is that all of it is advice and GUIDANCE. At the end of the day all babies are different, living circumstances are different, you can’t just fit everyone into the same bracket. And what’s the point in confusing everyone and increasing stress levels of tired parents. Yes let us know what findings there are of this research or that, yes give us guidelines to help us make decisions, but let US, the PARENTS, decide what we think is best for our children, without feeling that we might be doing something wrong.

I won’t be changing our  pages on weaning as I don’t think we need to. Mums and dads should listen to their baby and follow their instincts and try not to get their knickers in a twist about every little report that comes out. If you want to give your baby little tastes of solid food before 6 months then go ahead, if you prefer to wait, then fine. Neither of these will harm your baby, as long as you feed them age appropriate food and nothing they can choke on! See our weaning chart for a guide on what to feed and when.

In the last month there has been rising hysteria, again, about Swine flu. I totally bought into that hysteria (mostly created by the media) the first time round and I was wondering if my stress levels could take another round of worrying about it. I’ve been trying to remind myself that it’s generally a mild flu, just very contagious. That my kids are generally pretty healthy and I’m not pregnant, and my partner, with a dodgy kidney, has had the vaccine so I really don’t have anything to worry about – right? Pity my head isn’t the best at listening to rationale, especially when it comes to health issues. There’s that little voice that says “what about when it turns nasty…?”

As it happens, both my kids went down with flu on 1st January. They didn’t have runny noses or coughs (although they both have a slight cough now), just really high temperatures for about 3 days, shivering, aches and pains (judging by the squirming to get comfortable), loss of appetite and generally miserable. Obviously can’t be certain, but according to NHS direct very likely to have been swine flu. It was of course horrible seeing them so ill, and scary when your 18 month old won’t stop shaking with a 40 degree temperature at 2am. But they’re fine, and I am wondering why I worried myself quite so much. We have to remember that in healthy people, it’s a mild flu, and once you’ve had it, you probably won’t get it again.

I think one  of the reasons my kids shook it off relatively easily is because they’re pretty robust. When they were younger I really worried about how much they ate (which was a lot) and they were really chubby, and they’ve both got pretty good appetites now. But I feed them healthily, keep sweets etc to a minimum and I really believe that’s why they don’t get ill as often as other children, or as severely. I expect gene’s come into it to an extent, but this recent flu bug is, I’m sure, proof that trying to be as healthy as possibly food wise, really does pay off.

Soooo, if you’re worrying yourself sick about the youngest members of your family catching swine flu, and are trying to track down the vaccine privately with not much success, you can give your kids a bit of a boost to help fight it off if they come into contact with it by following some of the tips bellow:

1. Boost with vitamin C – not just citrus fruits but also berries, broccoli, tomatoes, kiwi fruit, spinach and watermelon. If your kids won’t eat fruit try smoothies – even as ices they’re still good.
2. Reduce their sugar intake – not only does it not have any nutritional benefits, it actually lowers the immune system leaving your children more open to infections.
3. Add garlic to everything. It’s a natural force of nature and makes food taste delicious
4. Probiotics to heal – especially if your child has to have anti-biotics
5. Plenty of liquid – on a daily basis and especially important if they get a fever to keep de-hydration from occuring. Try honey and lemon drinks.
6. Protein and zinc – the building blocks to cell development – vital for your childs immunity. Meat/fish, eggs, lentils and beans are good sources.
7. Warming ginger – a clever spice which is great for treating many of the symptoms of flu. Coughs, blocked nose and even nausea. Best added to warm drinks for children.
8. Three nutritious meals a day and healthy snacks (trying to ensure 5 portions of fruit and veg) – well fed children and happy and healthier children.
9. Lots of good sleep, fresh air and exercise
10. Keep their hands clean – 80% of diseases that make us ill are caught via touch.

And remember to speak to your doctor or NHS direct if you have any concerns about your childs condition or they just don’t seem to be getting better. Peace of mind is everything.

Except one. Last year I made a new years resolution to cook a proper family lunch every Sunday that we were home. We’d were having snack like lunches and although we generally sat down all of us around a table for them – they weren’t exactly wholesome/healthy. And you know what, I’ve kept to it. It isn’t always a roast dinner. Sometimes it’s just sausages or fish pie. But it’s always freshly cooked with lots of veggies and usually a nice pudding. And it’s actually really easy to keep to – because it’s about family, and it’s enjoyable, and it’s lovely to see the happy faces at the end of it.

So along with taking up a gym membership, learning how to meditate and giving up chocolate, why not, if you don’t already do so, start cooking a proper family meal every Sunday lunch, even when it’s just you and the kids. It’s amazing how quickly it becomes part of the family routine and it will definitely outlive that gym membership.

But actually, there’s a lot of potential health benefits to Christmas, especially for children. It’s family time, with family meals around a proper dinner table, it’s generally/hopefully a happy time, with laughter and singing and playing, pretty lights and decorations. All things which are good for our souls and excellent for kid’s development and general well-being. And then there’s the food itself, most of which actually has loads of nutritional benefits. And how many people DON’T have lots of left overs? Last year I got 8 pureed turkey dinners into the freezer before the end of Christmas day which my youngest, at 6 months old, loved – and it stopped my dad uttering the immortal words a week later (referring to the turkey) “ahh, this old friend again”.

• “Christmas” oranges (clementines, satsumas etc) – sweet and very popular with children – mini oranges (actually types of mandarins) full of the benefits. Great source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber.
• Brussel Sprouts – High in protein and low in fat, Brussel Sprouts may not be that popular (whether it’s the taste or the side effects) but are actually really healthy. Belonging to the cabbage family they have high levels of vitamin C and could possibly help prevent the growth of cancer cells. They also contain high levels of vitamin A, calcium and potassium. And are really quite delicious with a creamy cheesy sauce
• Cranberries – being a power berry these come into our A to Z of super foods for kids – and recent scientific research suggests that cranberries and cranberry products can help prevent certain cancers, heart disease and other serious illnesses as well as being very effective in the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections. It’s also thought cranberries contain properties that can help stop bacteria in the gut developing into a nasty tummy upset.
• Red Cabbage – the antioxidant capacity of red cabbage is around 6-8 times higher than that of green cabbage, which in itself is a bit of a super-food. As well as it’s disease fighting beta-carotene (the pigments that give it its purple/red colour), red cabbage is also a good source of iron, calcium and vitamin C
• Parsnips – this is a sweet root veg low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol but high in dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese, and potassium. Roasted parsnips are quite popular with little ones due to their sweet flavour.
• Mince pies/Christmas pud/cake – OK so not that healthy due to the high levels of fat and sugar present – but actually, if you look at how much fruit these contain, there are also quite a few nutrients packed into these delicious deserts. Raisins: good, sultanas: good, Cherries: good, cranberries: good, currents: good. Orange and lemon zest and juice: great, and almonds: fab. So really, it’s better to eat a mince pie than a chocolate bar of bag of crisps because it’s got the good with the bad.

So the turkey dinner is actually rather a healthy one for our children, and us adults, and even the dessert isn’t so bad. We’re all going to have children bouncing off the walls at some point, whether it’s due to one too many chocolates, or presents, but at least we know that most of it, is doing them quite a but of good.

1. Biscuit Christmas tree decorations – we’ve just made some of Nigella Lawsons - great fun for the kids and will raise lots of “ahhs” from the relatives on Christmas day – and they’re rather tasty too. You can buy Christmas biscuit cutters, usually in a set, in kitchen shops and department stores.
2. Bake a Christmas cake – many say this has to be done 3 weeks before Christmas, but actually there are plenty of recipes out there where this isn’t necessary and my mum never made hers that far in advance and it was always delicious. I’ve now started the tradition with my own daughter using this recipe . Looking forward to icing and decorating it with her on Christmas eve.
3. Home made Christmas crackers – if you’re anything like us, we get through masses of kitchen role and a little while ago I started keeping hold of the tubes for “creative time”. I am now overrun with them. But I had an idea to make our own crackers for the Christmas table containing goodies, either homemade or bought (non-perishable of course), inside. Try using this method with the kids.
4. Other edible Christmas decorations – threading wool through sweets to make sweet garlands, or making citrus and spice decorations that smell delightful, will keep your little ones busy while you carry out more important duties, such as stuffing the turkey.  Here are some edible decoration ideas.
5. Build a gingerbread house – If you’ve been watching any of the festive cookery programmes you may have caught Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s gingerbread house creation. Perhaps a little too adventurous but perhaps a small shed is more doable and not only is it educational and creative, you all get to eat it as well.
6. Festive jelly castles – Another idea off a festive TV programme (I have a small obsession) – choose red or green jelly and dig out those castle sand buckets from the frozen sandpit, and give them a thorough wash. Then choose your jewels. Berries, mandarin segments (or other fruit), jelly sweets, dolly mixture, Liquorish Allsorts… Make up the jelly mixture and pour over the “jewels” and wait for it to set before the great unveiling. You could even invest in some actual jelly moulds, and if you don’t have enough to do, make your own jelly out of fruit juices.
7. Make a trifle – A pudding that is traditionally part of Christmas but is often forgotten about.  And they are a great pudding to make with children because of all the layers of familiar food, and bright colours, not to mention the decoration on top. You can pretty much make it up as you go along but here’s a trifle recipe for guidance.
8. Making treats for presents – little cellophane bags of homemade truffles, peppermint creams, fudge, toffee, festive biscuits, mini brownies etc make fantastic presents from children to aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers… Most of these are really easy to make with kids (except the ones involving hot sugar, obviously), cost pennies and it means fewer presents for you to buy.
9. Christmas pizza – obviously pizza isn’t a festive food but turn it into a Father Christmas pizza (mozzarella beard/hair, olive eyes, tomatoes source cheeks/hat, peppers for mouth/ears) and it becomes as festive as a Christmas tree. We like fun homemade pizzas and so do kids, and it can provide a bit of respite to the usual heavy Christmas food. Here’s our homemade pizza recipe
10. Mince pies – Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies and they are so easy to make. With all the ready made ingredients available in most food shops, all you have to do is roll, cut and bake. And they’re really good for helping toddlers with hand co-ordination; cutting out, and spooning mince meat into the cases. We made some for a school cake sale and they went down a storm. And they were pretty much made entirely by a 3 year old.

Netmums are currently running a survey about “Perfect Parents” and if they exist. Well for one, the term “perfect” is very subjective. My idea of “perfect” is probably quite different to someone else’s. If your child grows up to be well mannered, creative, outgoing, honest, bright, an academic achiever, confident, healthy etc does that mean you’ve been a perfect parent? Or does it mean you’ve found yourself a time machine and you’re living in the 22nd century with a robot child? What on earth is a perfect parent? Someone who grows and cooks all their own food? Someone who can discipline without shouting? Someone who takes their child to every activity, plus works, plus runs a meticulous house? But at what price to themselves? You spend the first 10 years of your childs life turning yourself inside out trying to be “perfect” and then spend a year having a nervous breakdown because at the end of the day, you’re only human.

What gets to me today, is all this talk about “perfect” parenting. All these people saying we should be doing it this way, or that way. That feeding your child this way is better, or disciplining your child that way is better. So we tie ourselves up in knots wondering if we’re “doing it right” and if people think we’re a bad parent because we’re not doing it the way they think is the right way.

I read Gina Ford when I had my first child as I have a belief that a child should fit into our lives as much as possible not the other way round. I knew I wanted to routine breast feed, not demand feed. But I didn’t like the way Gina Ford dictated. It wasn’t advice, it was a woman who hasn’t had babies telling us that there is no other way but hers. So after throwing the book in the bin, I did fish it out and took little bits as guidance but the rest i did what worked best for us as a family. But I know I was judged for not demand feeding. I know of a conversation that was had behind my back – why? My child thrived, and that was all that mattered.

At the end of the day, websites, books and people offering advice on different aspects of parenting should make it clear that it’s advice, and isn’t the be all and end all. We know we need to feed our children nutritionally and well to get them off to a good start, but whether you breast feed or bottle feed, whether you demand feed or routine feed, whether you wean with a spoon or with BLW (Baby Led Weaning), it’s up to you as the parent. I tried BLW with my second child and I found it rather stressful and so stuck with spoon feeding. I weighed up the pro’s and cons and made a decision. But that’s not to say it doesn’t work brilliantly for other families. I just wish advocates of BLW didn’t shove it down peoples throats as if it’s the best and only way to wean. It isn’t, and it’s not a sign that you’re a better parent than others if you use that method.

Of course there are things that get to us individually – we all have our pet hates, which will make us judge people, whether it’s as parents, or just human beings. I can’t stand bad manners – whether it’s in a child or adults – and if I come across a child who’s rude and bad mannered I do judge the parents. And likewise if a child is overweight I have a tendency to think rather negatively about the child’s parents….

But really, if a child is happy, healthy, secure, pleasant – in other words, if they’re thriving -  then who are we to judge how they got to that point.?

We as parents can only do our best and need to spend more time enjoying the childhood years and less worrying if we’re doing it right or if other people think we’re doing it right. I often hear other mums say “So and so makes me feel like such an inadequate mum” And all these mums are far from inadequate. Of course we’re all entitled to our opinions, and views. A difference in opinions is what makes life interesting, but we need to stop judging other peoples parenting as if the world is a court and we are the jurors. It isn’t and we’re not. Parenting is a tough job and all we all need is support, guidance and encouragement in a very non-judgmental way.

PS I really hope users of Baby Meals don’t think I’m dictating at any point on the site. Really, really don’t mean to and please point out anywhere where it might be the case.

And even if they’re eating plenty, it might not be plenty of the right stuff. Too much sugar before bed will stimulate them and not keep them full for the night. Same goes for certain additives. Food such as pasta, potato, rice and oats will keep your child full for longer and are good to include at the end of the day.

For more information on how nutrition could help sleeping problems, check out this website www.trickykidz.co.uk – many parents don’t consider the sleepless nights could be down to what their child is eating and could be pleasantly surprised by the results. I for one will be feeding my wakeful boy a large bottle of milk and a (sugar free) oat cookie before bed.

However, recently that’s all changed. She’s just hit 3 and a half and bit by bit over the last few months she’s become more and more fussy. In fact the only savoury things she now eats without any coaxing is spaghetti bolognese, sausages and ham and cheese (preferably on their own). Every mealtime had become a fight, and usually ends in someones tears (with insomnia usually mine). She does eat fruit without a fuss and yoghurts and anything sweet, but anything else, non sugary basically, she picks at, and if I left her to it, would probably be sitting there for hours. And in fact she didn’t even eat her cereal properly this morning. She hasn’t been very well this last week so I could put some it down to that, but really, it’s been happening for weeks so it must be more.

I now have so much more sympathy with parents who’ve had to deal with fussy eating from the outset. Being faced with it 3 times a day, is so exhausting. I can really see how parents just give up on the healthy eating and give the kids what they want. But how is that really helping our children? Maybe it is just a faze and no matter what I do she’ll get there in her own time, but then again, I’ve know kids of 10 plus who’ll only eat pizza.

So I’m working through our fussy eating tips – making food look more interesting, letting her cook with me (not just sweet things), persevering with putting food she’s fussy about in front of her in the hope she’ll start to like it. If anyone has any more tips I’d love to know!

And her brother isn’t helping, being a total dustbin (he’ll literally eat everything – including plants if he can, which he then has allergic reactions to). The other day I was really impressed as O had eaten most of her carrots and peas without me having to bribe her, until I saw her feeding them to L, one by one. Sneaky little devils.

The following are at their best right now and perfect for children of all ages, whether your at the pureeing stage or full family meals.

• Parsnips – a sweet root veg low in Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Cholesterol but high in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Manganese, and Potassium. For littlest ones try out our chicken, apple and parsnip puree. Or parsnip and rosemary chips for older kids.
• Beetroot – From the same family as chard and spinach, Beets are loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C.  The greens have a higher content of iron compared to spinach.  They are also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and iron. Babies and toddlers love the bright colour. Great as a soup.
• Butternut squash – a very good source of vitamins A and C and a good source of beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium. Makes a delicious soup with carrot and sweet potato, but my toddler loves it just roasted.
• Celeriac – A type of celery grown as a root vegetable it’s low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol but high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Phosphorus, Potassium, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Magnesium and Manganese. Great added to soups or mashed with other root veg.
• Swede – this sweet root vegetable has a good mineral content including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and manganese. It also provides some fibre and vitamins A and C. Babies will love it mashed with some cheese and older children like it mashed or roasted.
• Leeks – One of our super foods, leeks can be added to any savoury dish to add strong flavour. Or on their own, boiled, with a tasty cheese sauce with a bit of white fish.
• Apples and Pears –  no not cockney rhyming slang, but tasty juicy fruit, full of vitamins, and great from 4 months to, well, forever.
• Cranberries – Not just for Christmas – cranberries are a bit of a super berry, thought to cleanse the urinary tract (kidneys etc) and rid the gut of harmful bacteria. Sprinkle dried cranberries on cereal in the morning for slow energy release.

And if that wasn’t enough, also in season are:

Broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots and sweet corn

For more on healthy fruit and veg see our A to Z of super-foods for kids and check out some of our delicious recipes

So if all the most fatty and unhealthy food was taxed, and more expensive, than healthier food, would it really change peoples behaviour enough that the rising trend of obesity could be reversed?

In the UK, a third of children are overweight or obese and two thirds of adults – by 2050 it’s estimated obesity will cost the country £32 billion. It’s a serious epidemic, and it’s hitting our children the hardest, whether they’re living, and caring for obese parents with long term health problems, or are obese or overweight themselves and are suffering health problems, or self esteem problems caused by how they look and/or bullying. So why is our government not willing to put a tax on junk food? Yes they don’t want to be seen as telling people what to eat and drink, but it’s not as if they would be taking away peoples choices? It’s not the same as the smoking ban which basically tells people where they can and can’t smoke, all it does it make food that is bad for us, a little more expensive, and people would have to think twice about buying and eating it. And the tax will help cover the costs caused by obesity.

The fact is, junk food is by and large cheaper than healthy food (if you want instant sustenance), so surely if you want to get people to eat less junk food, making it more expensive makes perfect sense? And yet it’s very unlikely to happen in this country. It really baffles me.

By 2050 public health officials fear heart disease will be up by 10% and type 2 diabetes up by 70%. Scary figures. Perhaps taxing junk food would just be too little too late. Perhaps it wouldn’t stop people from buying and eating it. But surely doing something is better than nothing?

Pumpkins are part of the squash family and originate from North America, which is probably why they’re so popular there for Halloween and Thanks Giving. Around this time of year you can find all sorts of wonderful pumpkin dishes on American menus, and even festivals dedicated to it.

Pumpkins, as with other squash varieties, are packed full of nutrients and health benefits, from it’s tough skin through to the pith and seeds. Pumpkins are very high in potassium (a mineral very important for nervous system and brain development, and general cell and muscle growth), as well as having good levels of beta-carotene (converted into vitamin A in the body – a powerful antioxidant) and vitamin C.. They’re also a good source of calcium and fibre, as well as other vitamins and minerals. The seeds are an excellent source of zinc and omega-3 fatty acids (good fats essential for growing children).

Eating wise pumpkin can be used in sweet and savoury dishes, on it’s own or as a delicious accompaniment. It’s great for young babies and children as it makes a really smooth puree/mash or even roasted it goes very soft, and it’s very easy to digest (see Pumpkin and apricot rice). And it makes a wonderful soup that the whole family will enjoy.

And if you want to go traditional this season, here’s a recipe for pumpkin pie (said in a dodgy Texan twang).

So when you’re done with your celebrations this weekend, don’t throw out your pumpkin, turn it into something tasty for everyone to enjoy.